Catalytic heater



Sept. 18, 1945. P, SCHMITT CATALYTIC HEATER Filed April 23, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,l m Q R. M 1* m m J P Q w m w vfi h? I m Nw Q ow m av m Q F o Q E T w A TTOENE Y Sept. 18, 1945. P, SCHMITT CATALYTIC HEATER Filed April 23, 15543 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 na /g? IN VEN TOR. 60RGE PHIL IP SCHM/TIT I A TORNE Y Patented Sept. 18, 1945 I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CATALYTIC nsarnn George Philip Schmitt, New York, N. Y., minor to Cardinal Products Inc New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 23, 1943, Serial No. 484,192 4 Claims. ((1158-96) This invention relates to catalytic heaters of through 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the flameless type wherein a catalyst is employed the arrows; which becomes incandescent in coaction with a Fi 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through vaporizable fluid, in the presence of air. I 5-5 of Fig. 1;

It is an object of the present invention to pro- Fig. 6 is an enlarged view, partly in section of vide an efllcient, practical, economical and simple the catalytic unit; heater for heating a compartment, room, etc., and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken which may be employed for cooking purposes. through 1-! of Fig. 4 and looking in the direc- It is another object of the present invention to tion of the arrows; provide a catalytic heater wherein the vaporizin Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the catalytic unit;

able fuel-air mixture for incandescing the catand alystis derived froma tank or receptacle contain- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of an element of mg the vaporizable fuel and in which air has been the cata ytic imitadmitted by a blower or the lik Referring now more particularly to the draw- A further object of the present invention is to it ings there is disclosed a bas I w h ay be provide a catalytic heater unit adapted for use any suitable or desired part upon which the heatto heat the motor compartment of aircraft and er d v e may be mounted. Upon base In there other motor vehicles. Thus the device may be s te y means of brackets II. a cy nd ic employed when the motor is not in operation for asing or housin 1 c nt ining a indr l keeping the motor and its compartment warm and I0 d fuel c a e absorbent ass 1' Wick preventing the oil from thickening or freezing and which is preferably of a Smal er Outs de d e e motor parts from cracking. than the inside diameter of easing i2, thereby It is a still further object of the present inven- P i in a space all around the wick. "A sprin tion to provide means in the aforesaid catalytic other le dard y e e p yed to unit indicating when the wick in the fuel con- 85 maintain the Wick in p t he W k act tainer becomes saturated with the liquid fuel. as an absorbent for t e fuel which may be s Another object of the present invention is to 011116 81001101 f nt the casing thro h th provide means in a catalytic heater for preventel i et l normal y c sed y the Cove! ing the heat from striking back or backfiring into Above the bottom of casing d projectin t fuel t k, from its cylindrical wall is an outlet ll thread- Still another object of the present invention is edly n in a losure cap I. In filling the to provide a novel catalytic unit for the heater. tank casing "N is ed he l qu d This invention accordingly consists in the feafuel is P d int e sing l2 and saturates the tures of construction, combination of parts and in absorbent-mass t r the mass or wick H th unique mt of t members and m the becomes saturated, the liquid fuel l9 will rise in relative proportioning and disposition thereof, the casing and Overflow through Outlet all as more completely outlined h r i dicating that the absorbent mass i3 has been sat- To enable others skilled in the art so fully to uretedcomprehend the underlying features thereof that Disposed Preferably in Proximity to tank is they may embody t same by t odifi ati 40 a conventional blower unit 20, which may be in structure and relation contemplated by this mounted on base s y m ans of the bracket invention, drawings depicting acertain form of Blower 29 is ped with the air intake the invention have been annexed as a part of this nnzzie 22, casing 23 which h s the usual disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters tor (not Shown) and air Outlet fitting T nk of reference denote corresponding parts throughis Provided with an r let pipe 2 disposed outan fth v1 w fwhi h: above overflow outlet ii. A valve 26 is inter- Fig 1 is a front elevatiunal View of a catalytic posed between Outlet and 25. This Valve heater embodying the invention; 26 may be connected to inlet pipe 25 by means of Fig 1a is a top plan iew on enlarged cale of 8, Short 0f and Outlet ascreen employablemthe invention; 24 by means of a suitable packing unit 28 and Fi 2 is a top plan view of the catalytic unit Short l ngth of Pip t is v nt t t h shown in the device f Fig v amount of air which may be fed into tank l2 may F18. 3 is a top plan view of the blower shown in be regulated or t o ed y va e pur- 1;hedev1cefp1g pose of providing air within tank I! is to pro- F1 ,-4 1 9, View mostly 1n vemcal section t k so duce a volatilizable air and fuel mixture therewithin to be conducted through the pipe fitting 99 located at the top of tank II, to the catalyst unit as hereinafter explained. The arrows II indicate the direction of this mixture. means may be employed to provide air within chamber i2, as for example, a suction device to draw air through chamber l2.

The catalytic holder is generally indicated by the numeral 55. Conventional pipe connections may be employed to connect pipe fitting 95 to the catalytic holder 95, as for example, coupling 95, short conduit 51, elbow 55, conduit 59, elbow 55, nipples ll, 52: the latter nipple being connected to elbow 55 by coupling 55. Interposed between nipples ll, 52, is a valve 55 for regulating or controlling the air-fuel vapor mixture to the catalytic unit in holder 55. Although the drawings show but one catalytic unit being fed with the vaporizable mixture, it is understood that multiple outlets may be provided, either controlled by the single valve 45 or a valve for each outlet, to feed a plurality of catalytic units.

In order to prevent the'heated fuel-air mixture backflring from the catalytic unit in holder 55 into tank or chamber [2 it has been found desirable to interpose one or more screens or perforated disks in the feed line between the catalytic holder 35 and tank outlet 99. A relatively fine screen 55 may be inserted preferably in coupling 95 and another relatively fine screen 51 may be inserted in coupling 45. This screen 55 or 51 is shown in Fig. 1d on an enlarged scale;

Reference will now be made more particularly to the catalytic holder 95 and its catalyst unit (Figs. 5-8). Secured to elbow 59 is a nipple 50 which threadedly engages the hollow stem 5| of base 52. Stem 5| of base 52 has-a perforation 59 providing'communication between nipple 50 and the chamber 55 within base 52. Base 52 is cup-shaped having the annular portion 55 extending upwardly from the conicaily-shaped bottom 55 from the latter of which downwardly projects the stem 5i. Seated within hollow base 52 and against annular portion 55 is a plate 51 having a plurality of peripherial notches 59. Resting on top of annular flange 55 of base 52, is

Any other the catalyst unit 59 which is held in place by block or disk which may be composed of a suitably spongy platinum composition or the like. Catalysts 51 may be provided with a plurality of perforations 65. Any number of catalytic ele-' ments 5'! may be employed and they may be of any suitable size. It is possible to use a single catalyst of appropriate size, but it has been found expedient and practical to use a number of relatively small pellets.

Immediately below plate 55 there is disposed a wire screen 59, preferably of approximately seventy to one hundred mesh and under this screen 59 is a coarser wir screen 10 of approximately eight mesh. These screens are preferably made of an alloy of nickel and copper or nickel and chromium, which may b of the types known generally in the trade as "Monel" metal and Nichrome." Immediately above plate 55 there is disposed a wire screen Ii preferably of approximately seventy to one hundred mesh and over screen Ii there is disposed another but coarser screen 12 of approximately eight mesh. Screens II, 12 arepreferably made of a nickel-chromium alloy, which may be of the type known generally in the trade as Nichrome." The coarse screens 15 and I2 act as protective members for the liner screens 59, H, and also prevent buckling thereof.

Plate 55 with its catalyst pills 51 and screens 59, 15, H, 12, are all maintained in assembled positions by a channelled retainer ring 19, the whole comprising the unit illustrated in Figs. 5 and 8.

Although the catalytic heater hereinabove described may be employed generally for heating and cooking purposes, it is particularly useful in motor vehicles including air planes, where it may be placed in the motor compartment while the motor is not running for keeping the motor and compartment warm and preventing the oil from thickening or freezing, in cold weather. This device may be arranged such that the burner unit, only'is placed in th motor compartment, and put in operation immediately after the motor is shut oil! to maintain the motor and motor housing warm.

To operate the catalytic heater, blower 20 is put in operation, the amount of air entering tank i2 being controlled by valve 25. The air and fuel vapor mixture flows through valve 45 into contact with the catalytic elements 51. The catalysts 61 become'incandescent in the presence of this combined fuel and air heats the complete unit.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a catalytic heater in which the various objects hereinabove set forth, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention, and as many changes might be made in the .embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbeforeset forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A catalytic heater comprising a casing, absorbent material to be saturated with vaporizable fuel, contained within said casing, said casing having a fuel inlet and a fuel overflow outlet below said inlet, air supply means connected to said casing between said inlet and said outlet for enabling'air to contact with said absorbent material, a holder remotely disposed relative to said casing, a catalyst in said holder, hollow means connecting said holder with said casing and through which fuel charged air may flow from said casing to said catalyst, a valve in said hollow means for controlling said fuel charged air, and spacedrapart perforated members disposed across said hollow means.

2. Acatalytic heater comprising a casing, absorbent material to be saturated with vaporizable fuel, contained within said casing, said casing having a fuel inlet and a fuel overflow outlet below said inlet, means connectedto said casing between said inlet and said outlet for supplying air, a holder remotely disposed relative to said casing, a catalyst in said holder, hollow means connecting said holder with said casing and through which-fuel charged air may flow from said casing to said catalyst, and a perforated member disposed across said hollow means.

3. A catalytic heater comprising a casing, absorbentmaterial to be saturated with vaporizable fuel, contained within said casing, said casing having a fuel inlet, a; device connected to said casing for producing a supply of air to contact with fuel in said casing, a holder remotely disposed relative to said casing, a catalyst in said holder, hollow means connecting said holder with said casing and through which fuel charged air may flow from said casing to said catalyst, and a perforated member disposed across said hollow means.

4. A catalytic heater comprising a casing, absorbent material to be saturated with vaporizable fuel, contained within said casing, said casalyst in said holder, and hollow means connecting said holder with said casing and through which fuel charged air may flow from said casing to said catalyst. p

GEORGE PHILLIP SCHMITT. 

